An epic talesurrounding the secrets of the Grand Greenhouse of Chaggyeonggung Palace

Deliveringthe most entertainment and sentiments that a novel could give

A masterpiececrafted by Kim Keum-hee at last!

The novelistKim Keum-hee, who has proven the beauty of storytelling by delicatelyembroidering patterns that leave echoes in one’s mind, presents a full-lengthnovel titled The Grand Greenhouse Renovation Report. Set in the GrandGreenhouse of Chaggyeonggung Palace, which was once the largest glassgreenhouse in the East, the novel touches the hearts of readers by unveilingthe heart-aching secrets and the unwavering faith in humanity. This is KimKeum-hee’s first historical fiction in 15 years, opening a new dimension of heruniverse of fiction as a masterpiece that showcases the richness of full-lengthnovels – the kind of work that has been hard to come by in recent years. With adescription of the nature surrounding Chaggyeonggung Palace and ChangdeokgungPalace, the history that spans the construction of the Grand Greenhouse, thefirst glass greenhouse in Korea, the secret behind Changgyeongwon during theJapanese colonial era, and the atmosphere of Wonseo-dong, an old Seoulneighborhood, along with the hearts of the people who live in it, this workvividly shows the reader the maximum amount of fun and emotion that a novel cangive.

Theprotagonist of the novel writes the “renovation report,” which not onlydescribes the process of repairing a building but also records the repairingand rebuilding of our own painful history and wounded moments in life. Theauthor seems to consider wounded hearts as an essential element of life, just likehow doorknobs and window frames are essential materials for building a house. Whenthe protagonist is finally able to put the finishing touches on their report,having been forced to confront the past that they had forgotten and buried outof fear, the reader who has followed this vast storyline will be moved to tearsas they realize the growth of his heart and feel like a different person than theywere before reading this work.

A fascinatingtale that spans 100 years of time

The storybegins when a woman in her 30s named “Young-du” is assigned to document thewhite paper on the renovation of the Grand Greenhouse of Chaggyeonggung Palace.Born in Seokmodo Island, Young-du studied in Wonseo-dong, a neighborhood formedalong the walls of Chaggyeonggung Palace in Seoul, when she was in junior highback in 2003. For some reason, the words “Chaggyeonggung Palace” send chillsdown her spine, and she is at first reluctant to take on the assignment – as ifshe had gone through a traumatic life-changing experience there. She painfullyrecalls the past, when she lived in “Nakwon Boarding House” with the owner“Moon-ja” and her granddaughter “Lisa.”

Meanwhile,the story of Noboru Fukuda, a Japanese man who built the greenhouse during theJapanese colonial era, intertwines with the current renovation of thegreenhouse like threading needles. The author uses these two narrative axes tofurther immerse the readers in the novel and to make the novel more entertaining.Fukuda's story takes the reader on a long journey through the life of a man whohas devoted his life to something. This story is loosely based on the life ofHayato Fukuba, who took the lead in the actual construction of the GrandGreenhouse of Chaggyeonggung Palace. His memoir is the basis for the overallstoryline, but much of the actual story has been fictionalized by the author. Theauthor vividly depicts Fukuda and various figures associated with ChaggyeonggungPalace with scenes from contemporary Korean history, adding the overall depthof the novel in an enthralling way.

During thecurrent renovations, a secret dug up from the ground surprises everyone,creating a sharp turn to the story. Young-du has a hunch that the traces foundthere would be connected to Moon-ja, and begins to dig deeper – until she facesan event from Moon-ja’s childhood. Moon-ja is someone who has lived her entirelife amidst the harsh waves of contemporary history, harboring a secret she hasnever told anyone. As Young-du discovers Moon-ja’s long-kept secret, she alsocomes face-to-face with her own wounds. Just like how Moon-ja gave her the“love that is a wake-up call for the spirit,” she is now able to embrace herpast, which she has long been unable to forgive. This is how The GrandGreenhouse Renovation Report becomes a record of Young-du’s life as sherepairs her wounds and rebuilds her life.

A story withan overwhelming scale built on exhaustive evidence and intimate coverage,

And radiantvoices of those who live and breathe within

Asscreenwriter Jeong Seo-kyeong wrote in her recommendation, this book is “a hugestory where big and small events converge in one place.” Just like the tinyveins on a leaf, The Grand Greenhouse Renovation Report encompasses awide range of characters. In particular, through the descriptions of howEun-hye, a friend who grew up together with Young-du in Ganghwa, and herdaughter San-ah spend their daily lives with Young-du, the author even seems tobe suggesting a new definition of family. Reading through how the three of them– Young-du who is left alone after her father passed away, Eun-hye who works asa real estate agent to raise a child by herself, and San-ah who is matureenough to understand other people’s feelings at a young age – share mealstogether as they share their daily worries will make readers laugh whilesometimes making them reflect on the importance of those around them.

As this is along story of Young-du’s growth, the story also describes Young-du’s love. Theanecdotes about Young-du’s first love Lee Sun-shin, whom she first met in Wonseo-dong,add another dose of vitality to the work to make it an enjoyable read. Theepisode revolving around her first love, whom she had to let go after hurtinghim due to childhood shame, will make readers empathize with the heart fluttersfrom the moment one opens up to someone they love for the first time, and thesadness from the moment they hurt each other without knowing exactly what theywant – allowing users to closely follow Young-du’s growth.

In addition, TheGrand Greenhouse Renovation Report is filled with the different charactersand personalities from the architects' office, the details and beauty of thebuildings they work on, and other elements that enrich and further entertainthe story. This is the power that could only be held by a well-writtenfull-length novel – a novel that encompasses various voices of characters toshow different layers of the universe.

The long listof references at the end of the novel is a testament to the author'smeticulousness in layering the story. The author's skill as a writer is evidentin her ability to gather this vast array of sources and use them to bring thefaces and voices of the people lurking between the lines to life vividly usingher imagination.

The GrandGreenhouse at Changgyeonggung Palace, which went through many twists and turnsto withstand being branded as an unwelcomed remnant of Japanese colonialism,can be compared to the sublime lives of those who survived the turbulenthistory. This touching story of facing the scars of the past, which cannot beforgotten, rebuilds the lives of the wounded, just as the renovations do.

The wounds ofthe past that we bury because we are too afraid to look into them willeventually become a huge, unresolved empty hole. If we look at our sorrows andheal them one by one, just like a carpenter building a house by stacking wood oneby one, a sturdy house may shine before our eyes. With this overwhelming tale thatsuccessfully builds a brilliant house of secrets called life, it is time toface the power of Kim's novels, which will establish her as one of the most preciouswriters of our time.